Tamper-proof inner seal



Oct. 21,v 1941. .1. w. WANDELL v l 2,260,156

I TAMPERPROOF INNER SEAL Filed Marh l, 1940 1 [IMI Z@ l i: ,-"25 I 7 f5' @ff Il' m, l f T,

24 l 14 Rf u I l I (a. y l z` f I' I 20 11, wif-f2' 22 l l* f L l l ,l

v I 23| i I' l/ 23 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1941 James W. Wandell, HobokenN. J., assignor David N. Popik, escrowee Application March 1, 1940, seria1No.321,c5a

1 I Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful im- `provementsin a tamper-proof inner seal forcontainers.

The invention has fory an object the construction of av seal as mentioned which is characterized by a cylindrical body having a top closure wall of slightly smaller diameter than said body, and adapted to'be forced into the yVertical neck of a bottle so that said top closure Wall is slightly inwards of the mouth opening of the neck, and a novel arrangement of a protected valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the neck of the bottle, and preventing refilling,

.. Still further the invention contemplates the provision of an annular member mounted on the outer end of said body and having several outwardly projecting ribs connecting with and supporting said top closure wall.

Still further the invention contemplates making use of a ring supported in the top of the cylindrical body and beneath said annular member and having an upwardly directed inner shield flange which will prevent the insertion of a wire for the purpose of 'tamperingA with the valve previously mentioned.

Still further the invention contemplates constructing the various parts of said tamper-proof inner seal of Celluloid material or other transparent material which is slightly flexible so that the Cylindrical body may be readily forced into position within the neck of the bottle.

The invention also contemplates constructing the side walls of the cylindrical body with a slight taper to facilitate frictional engagement of the seal within the bottle neck.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of the neck of a bottle provided with a tamper-proof inner seal constructed in accordance with this invention. I

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the seal per se.

Fig, 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the seal only, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the seal only, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the neck of the bottle tilted as it Fig.` 6 -is a vertical sectionalview of the neck of a bottle of modified vconstruction and provided with a tamper-proof inner seal according to this invention.' v

The tamper-proof inner seal, in accordance with this invention, includes a hollow cylindrical body I0 having a top closure wall II of slightly smaller diameter than said body and said body being adapted to be forced into the vertical neck I2` of a bottle so that said top closure I I is slightly inwards of the mouth opening I2a of the bottle neck. More specifically, the outer face of the side walls of the body I0 is constructed at a slight taper, for example 2, tapering from the top downwards. The body I0 may be constructed of Celluloid material, or other transparent material y which has a slight give to facilitate its .engagewould appear when its contents is being poured.

ment in the neck of the bottle."

An annular member I4 is mounted on the outer end of the body I0 and has several outwardly projecting ribs I5 connected with and supporting the top closure wall II. This top closure wall is of frusto-conical shape. Its top surface has a frusto-conical shaped recess I6. A cylindrical peg I1 projects coaxially from the bottom oftheltop'closure wall II. A ring I8 is -supported in the top of the lcylindrical body II) beneath said annular member I4 and has an upwardly directed inner shield flange I9. The ring I8 is Supported by several ribs 20 extended along the inner face of the wall of the body I0. These ribs 2U extend the entire length of the body, The ring I8 merely sits upon the upper ends of the ribs 20. The ribs I5 of the annular member I4 extend over the edge portions of the ring I8, and engage the top face of the ring. It is these ribs (the ribs I5 and 2U) which support the ring I8 in position.

The hollow cylindrical vbody I0 has a bottom wall ZI which is provided with a valve seat 22. A valve 23 in the form of a small sphere of glass or other similar material normally rests upon the seat 22. This valve 23 is of a slightly larger diameterthan the valve seat so that the valve 23 is securely held by the body I0. The inner edges of the ribs 2D serve to guide the valve 23 along the length of the body I0 when the bottle containing the inner seal is tilted, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The upper end of the hollow cylindrical body I0 is formed with a recessed shoulder 24. The bottom of the annular member I4 is formed with a corresponding recessed shoulder. These shoulders engage each other to properly align the annular member I4 upon the top of the cylindrical body II). These parts are permanently connected by fusing or other means. A wax seal 25 is extended across the said top closure wall I I and has edge portions 25a which may be adhesively connected with the inner face of the bottle neck I2. This seal 25 may be engaged properly into position by a suitable hot die. The die forces the seal into place and the heat melts the wax which. subsequently hardens andseals the neck of the bottle closed.` The edge portions may also be turned downwardly as shown at 25b and wrapped around the top closure Wall I I. A conventional cap 26, and a cork or other material' washer 21, is removably mounted upnthefendff "vferred' embodiments of my invention, it is to be 'understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right the bottle neck I2.

The operation of the device Aisas follows?.` 1 L As illustrated in Fig. .1, the bottle is completely'.

sealed. To remove the liquid.:co'nte'nt'sfofV tl'iel bottle it is merely necessary that the cap 26 andl 'lof'.theinstrmnent beneath the seal 25. Then ,l

. the instrument is lifted up to tear'out the seal 25. The bottle having the neck I2 may now be tilted :as illustrated in Fig. 5. The liquid contentsk will 'passlthrough kthe .valve seat opening 22 of the '..bodyl Il), then through the body Ill, and will finally '.dischargefrom the space beneath the top closure wall` I I.. y Since the bottom of the closure Wall is of` conical shape'theliquid will discharge in a -smoothstreamfA When thebottle' is in a vertical or substantially -vertical position,y the. `valve 23.*will automatically engage the seat'22 dueto gravity. This preventsrerllling; It is not possible to insert a Wire or othery small implement through the space betweenthe top closure Wall II and the inner face of the` bottle neck I2 and reach the valve 23 to unseat it, because such wire or implement will -strike the ring I8vand be arrested b'y the up- Vxlzvar'dly directed flange I9. A Y

vThe ange I9 will also causethevilow of the uid to concentrate or converge toward the center and abut against the bottom conical surface I I of the closure wall and from this conical surface, the liquid will continue to flow out ofthe container in a smooth, even stream.

In Fig. 6 another application of the invention has been disclosed. In this application the tamper-proof seal is engaged quite a distance down in the neck I2 of a bottle. A cork stopper 28 is then engaged into the outer end of the neck of the bottle to seal it. This bottle may be emptied by rst withdrawing the cork stopper 28 With a cork screw or other implement, and then lthe operation of the device is substantially iden--A .tical to .the previous form.

While I have illustrated and described the preis reservedto all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claim.

Having thus vdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United 4States Letters Patent is:

A tamper-proof innerseal for containers, comprising a tubular body member having an1 upwardly directed valve seat in its lower end, a ball inside said body member for engaging said/seat, a plurality of axially-extending, circumferentially spaced ribs on the inside face of said body member for guiding said ball,r the upper ends of .said

ribs terminating short of 'the upper end 'of said body member, a vring fitting within the upper end of said body member 4andresting on the upper ends of said ribs, said ring having an upwardly vdirected flangey on the inner periphery ythereof vand lforming an annular trough, 'andj `a cage ing, circumferentially-spaced supporting posts engaged into said'trough, said body member, ribs,

ring, shield and posts being fused to one another whereby to form an integral unit.

'JAMES W. WANDELLQ v 

